Cooling Device for Beverages

ABSTRACT

In a cooling device for beverages in beverage containers, including a preferably cylindrical chamber for receiving a beverage container and at least one cooling element ( 1 ), the chamber is constructed as a basin for a cooling bath.

The invention relates to a cooling device for beverages in beveragecontainers, including a preferably cylindrical chamber for receiving abeverage container and at least one cooling element.

Cooling devices for beverages are basically used in two different types.On the one hand, there are cooling devices with relatively low coolingcapacities, which are used to slowly cool down beverages to temperaturesof, e.g. 6 to 10° C. and keep them at those temperatures. These, forinstance, comprise commercially available household refrigerators. Onthe other hand, there are cooling devices that serve to bring beveragebottles to a desired drinking temperature within the shortest possibletime. This group of cooling devices includes so-called rapid coolers forthe catering industry, which are able to cool beverages in beveragebottles from room temperature to e.g. 10° C. within a few minutes. Thistype of coolers involves the substantial problem of a long precoolingtime (up to 3 hours) the device requires until ready for operation. Thepresent invention primarily relates to cooling devices of the rapidcooler type.

Rapid coolers of the prior art operate according to various methods,e.g. with air cooling, water cooling, water-with-ice cooling or by usingcirculating water in an ice bath, ice bags (cool packs) or compressionchillers.

The following factors are important for the rapid cooling of beveragesin closed beverage containers.

-   1. Beverages consist of a high portion of water. The specific heat    capacity of water is about 4.2 kJ/kgK and that of ethanol    (consumable alcohol) about 2.4 kJ/kgK. Hence follows that the    cooling of 1 liter of water from room temperature (ca. 23° C.) to    10° C. requires a removal of energy of 54.6 kJ. At a cooling    capacity of 500 W, the cooling process to 10° C. is completed within    about 2 minutes. This cooling capacity cannot be easily accomplished    by compact devices using cooling liquids having the required, low    evaporation temperatures (e.g. −40° C.)-   2. The wall of a beverage container usually is made of a poor    thermally conductive material (e.g. glass). In order to be able to    cool a liquid at the above-mentioned capacity of e.g. 500 W at all,    a sufficiently high temperature gradient has to be provided. To this    end, an appropriately low temperature level must be created.-    The thermal conductivity of glass is 1 W/mK. The thermal    conductivity of aluminum is 200 W/mK. The thermal conductivity of    polyethylene terephthalate (basic material of PET bottles) is 0.25    W/mK.-    The thinner the wall thickness and the higher the thermal    conductivity, the lower may be the temperature gradient in order to    transfer the desired cooling capacity to the liquid. Since wine,    sparkling wine, champagne etc. tend to be bottled and the thickness    of the glass must be appropriately dimensioned because of the    overpressure in the bottle, the required heat flow through the    bottle can only be realized by temperatures far below the freezing    point of water. Cooling devices operating with ice or at    temperatures around 0° C. are, therefore, only to a limited extent    suitable for rapid cooling processes.-   3. A further decisive factor is the heat transfer from the cooling    medium to the container wall (e.g. outside of a glass bottle). From    thermodynamics and liquid dynamics, it is known that the transfer of    heat may take place by heat conduction, heat radiation and/or    convection. Commercially available rapid coolers from the catering    industry utilize the effect of heat conduction through contact with    a suitably cooled cool pack or a cooled glycol sleeve surrounding    the beverage bottle. The thermal contact between the cooling sleeve    and the beverage bottle is, however, insufficient because of the    lacking application pressure of the sleeve at the bottle and because    the sleeve does not enclose the entire surface of the bottle.-    The transfer of heat from the cooling medium to the beverage    container can be enhanced by creating a laminar or turbulent air    current within a “frost chamber” receiving the beverage container.    Since the heat capacity of air is low, appropriately high air flow    rates are required. In technological terms, this is difficult to    realize for compact, small coolers. Further problems arise by the    air humidity freezing on the condenser in the interior and the    formation of condensed water.

Due to their typically long precooling times, prior art rapid coolersare hardly suitable for cooling beverages to drinking temperature withina few minutes after having turned on the device.

The present invention, therefore, aims to provide an instant cooler forbeverages in beverage containers, which minimizes both the precoolingtime and the cooling process for beverages in containers, and makes thistechnology accessible to households and the catering industry by asuitable construction.

In particular, it is to be feasible to cool a 0.75-liter wine bottlefrom ambient temperature to drinking temperature (8° C.) in less than aminute. In addition, the device is to be far more compact thanconventional refrigerators or freezers.

To solve this object, the invention in a cooling device of the initiallydefined kind contemplates that the chamber is constructed as a basin fora cooling bath. In operation, the chamber contains a cooling liquid. Forcooling, the beverage container is thus placed into the cooling bath insuch a manner that cooling medium, i.e. the cooling liquid of thecooling bath, will immediately get into contact with the beveragecontainer. It is thereby possible to increase the surface area via whichthe cooling liquid contacts the beverage container, and hence improvethe heat transfer from the cooling medium to the container wall. In apreferred manner, it is provided that the amount of the cooling liquidcontained in the chamber is dimensioned such that the beverage containeris immersed in the cooling bath by at least 30%, preferably at least80%, of its height as it is being introduced into the chamber.Overflowing of the chamber can advantageously be avoided in that thechamber has a portion widened in terms of cross section. The widenedportion is, in particular, provided in a central part or in the upperpart of the chamber. It is also possible to provide kind ofcommunicating vessels to prevent overflowing. Alternatively, the widenedportion can be formed as an edge portion bordering the opening of thechamber and having an inner surface conically widening as far as to theopening of the chamber, so that cooling liquid will run back into thebath through the passage seal during stripping-off.

The high cooling rate provided by the invention also has positiveecological and economical effects in that beverages need no longer bestored in refrigerators or wine coolers for indefinite periods of time,but can be cooled on demand. The energy necessary for keeping the cooledbeverage in stock is thus no longer required.

Particularly efficient cooling will preferably be provided in that theat least one cooling element is arranged within the chamber, i.e. isdisposed or immersed in the cooling liquid of the cooling bath duringoperation. The at least one cooling element can, in particular, bedisposed on the wall of the chamber such that the space available forreceiving the beverage container is reduced as little as possible. Inthis context, a particularly short precooling period (time until thecooling bath has reached the desired temperature after having turned onthe cooling device) will be achieved in that the amount of the coolingliquid of the bath is minimized, said amount having to be adapted to thegeometries of the respective cooling container and the cooling bath. Ina preferred manner, the cooling device for beverage containers has adimension such that, when introducing the beverage container into thechamber, only a small annular gap of 0.1 mm to 3 cm, preferably 0.1 mmto 2 cm, will remain between the wall of the beverage container and thecooling element, which is preferably disposed on the wall of thechamber. Unless the beverage container is cylindrically designed, theabove-mentioned annular gap is to be measured at the narrowest point.

A particularly space-saving configuration, which at the same time offersa large surface area for the heat exchange with the cooling bath, ispreferably achieved in that the cooling element is comprised of acooling coil. The cooling element, in particular the cooling coil, ispreferably designed to peripherally surround the beverage container tobe introduced. In a preferred further development, the cooling element,in particular the cooling coil, additionally comprises a portionprovided below the beverage container to be introduced in order toenable the rapid precooling of the cooling liquid and, after havingintroduced the container, rapidly cool the latter.

In a preferred manner, the volume of the chamber, the volume of thecooling liquid present in the cooling bath and the diameter and/orvolume of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such amanner that the filling level of the cooling liquid rises at least 1.5times, preferably at least 3 times, in a particularly preferred mannerat least 4 times, when introducing the beverage container into thecooling bath. This means that the filling level during the introductionof the beverage container rises from, for instance, 5 cm to at least 7.5cm, preferably to at least 15 cm, in a particularly preferred manner toat least 20 cm. The larger the increase of the filling level, the higherthe ratio of the surface area available for the heat exchange betweenthe cooling element and the cooling liquid, and between the coolingliquid and the beverage container, to the volume of the cooling liquid,and hence the shorter the precooling time of the device at a shortcooling time of the beverage.

The volume of the chamber, the volume of the cooling liquid present inthe cooling bath and the diameter and/or volume of the beveragecontainer are, in particular, adapted to one another in such a mannerthat a peripherally uniform annular gap of 3 cm at most, preferably 2 cmat most, remains between the wall of the beverage container and the wallof the chamber, or the cooling element preferably disposed on thechamber wall. Unless the beverage container and/or the chamber wall arecylindrically designed, the above-mentioned annular gap is to bemeasured at the narrowest point, i.e. the annular gap is 3 cm at most,preferably 2 cm at most, at the narrowest point.

If it is anticipated that conventional beverage cans have diametersranging between 50 and 85 mm, preferably 50 and 70 mm, the coolingdevice according to the invention is configured for cans such that theannular gap resulting from the introduction of a can is outwardlydelimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 145 mm,preferably 50 mm to 105 mm. The outer limitation of the annular gap is,for instance, formed by the chamber wall or by the inner periphery ofthe cooling element, as the case may be.

If it is anticipated that conventional beverage bottles have diametersranging between 50 and 160 mm, preferably 50 and 100 mm, the coolingdevice according to the invention for bottles is configured such thatthe annular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardlydelimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 220 mm,preferably 50 mm to 140 mm.

The volume of the chamber with the cooling element (e.g. cooling coil),the volume of the cooling liquid present in the cooling bath, and thediameter of the beverage container (or volume of the beverage container)are preferably adapted to one another in such a manner that the fillinglevel of the cooling liquid rises at least as far as to the upper edgeof the cooling element when introducing the beverage container into thecooling bath.

In order to determine, irrespectively of the specific use of the coolingdevice by a user, whether the cooling device meets the preferredcriteria in terms of gap width and/or rise of the filling level, a testconfiguration is provided. There, the configuration is preferablydevised such that the filling level of the cooling liquid rises at least1.5 times, preferably at least 3 times, in a particularly preferredmanner at least 4 times, when introducing a circular-cylindrical testbody having an optional diameter of 49.9 mm, 79.9 mm, 109.9 mm, 139.9mm, 169.9 mm, or 199.9 mm, respectively, into a cooling bath of anydesired volume. In this case, the test body should have a height atleast corresponding to the height of the bath after having introducedthe container. When carrying out the test, the test body is to be placedon the bottom of the chamber.

Basically, the invention is not limited to a cylindrical chamber. Thus,it is, for instance, possible to design the chamber as a square or apolygon rather than a cylinder. Furthermore, the chamber may alsocomprise a cylindrical shape changing along its height in terms ofdiameter (e.g. cone).

Another modification of the invention is feasible in that the chamber iscomprised of a plurality of sectional chambers in mutualfluid-communication (communicating vessels). The individual sectionalchambers can be cylindrically designed such that a single bottle or asingle can is received in each of the sectional chambers. In this case,each sectional chamber in terms of diameter is preferably adapted to thecan or bottle to be introduced such that, when introducing the can orbottle, only a small annular gap remains around the container, inparticular an annular gap having a width of less than 3 cm, inparticular less than 2 cm. In a particularly preferred manner, thesectional chambers have the previously indicated diameters as a functionof whether the respective sectional chamber is provided for theintroduction of a can or a bottle. It is also possible to placedifferent vessels with different cooling coils in one device (e.g. 5 cancoolers in one device).

The cooling element is preferably incorporated in a coolant cycle. Thecoolant cycle can, for instance, be configured as the cycle of acompression chiller. A compression chiller is a refrigerating machinethat uses the physical effect of the evaporation heat at a change of theaggregation state from liquid to gaseous. A refrigerant conveyed in aclosed cycle successively experiences different changes of itsaggregation state. The gaseous refrigerant is at first compressed by acompressor. In the consecutive heat exchanger (condenser or liquefier),the refrigerant condenses (liquefies) while giving off heat. After this,the liquid refrigerant is expanded due to a change in pressure via athrottle, e.g. an expansion valve or a capillary tube. In theconsecutively arranged, second heat exchanger (evaporator), therefrigerant evaporates while taking up heat at low temperature (hotcooling). The cycle can then start all over again. The process has to bekept running from outside by supplying mechanical work (driving power)via the compressor. During that time, the refrigerant absorbs thermalpower at a low temperature level (e.g. a −30° C. cold cooling bath) andreleases it to the environment at a higher temperature level (e.g. 35°C.) while supplying technical work.

The housing of the cooler can be acoustically insulated, e.g. by meansof sound insulation panels, in order to minimize a possibly existingcompressor noise.

Alternatively, the at least one cooling element can be configured as athermoelectric cooling element, in particular a Peltier element, or as aJoule-Thomson cooler or a mixed Joule-Thomson cooler. For subminiatureinstant chillers, high-speed mini-compressors are preferably provided(e.g. mini-compressors of the Aspen 14-12 and 14-24 series by AspenCompressor LLC).

The heat transfer between the cooling bath and the cooling element, onthe one hand, and the cooling bath and the beverage bottle, on the otherhand, is advantageously maximized in that means for circulating thecooling bath are provided. The circulation of the cooling bath ensuresthe homogenization of the temperature within the cooling bath, thusconstantly maximizing the temperature gradient that is available for theheat transfer. In addition, thermodynamic edge effects will thereby beminimized, which would otherwise reduce the heat transfer. In apreferred manner, the means for circulating the cooling bath comprise arotor arranged in the chamber, an ultrasonic membrane, a pump or thelike.

In order to minimize power losses as much as possible, it is preferablyprovided that the wall of the chamber is surrounded by a thermalinsulation. Said insulation is advantageously comprised of a vacuuminsulation.

In order to prevent the beverage from freezing, a precise temperaturecontrol may be required. In particular, it has to be taken into accountthat the cooling bath may have a temperature of 0° C. to −160° C. tominimize the cooling time such that too long an exposure of the beveragebottle in the cooling device will result in the immediate freezing ofthe beverage. The control of the temperature of the cooling bath ispreferably performed in that a heating element for heating the coolingbath is provided. The heating element is preferably arranged in thechamber and configured as an electric resistance heater. The heatingelement can advantageously be designed as a heating coil disposed on thewall of the chamber. The windings of the heating coil can be providedbetween the windings of the cooling coil. An evaporation valve forcontrolling the output and temperature would also be conceivable.

Temperature control is preferably performed in that a temperature sensoris provided for detecting the bath temperature, said temperature sensorbeing connected to a control circuit. The control circuit is suitablyconnected to the cooling element, and if desired to the heating element,via control lines in order to control the cooling and/or heatingcapacities as a function of the measurements of the temperature sensor.Moreover, an additional measurement would be conceivable using aninfrared measuring device to determine the temperature of the beveragein the beverage container by suitable arrangements, wherein themeasurements can be supplied to the control circuit in order to enableprecise control.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by wayof an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated in the drawing.

FIG. 1 depicts a cooling device that ensures the cooling of a coolingliquid 4 of a cooling bath by means of a cooling cycle comprisingcooling lines 7 and the associated refrigerant source 10. Said coolingcycle can either be formed by thermoelectric elements or constructed asa compression refrigerating plant. Cooling temperatures ranging from 20°C. to −100° C. are preferably used for cooling. If the cooling cycle asdepicted in FIG. 1 is configured as a compression refrigerating plant,the cooling lines 7 will be designed as illustrated. In the case ofthermoelectric cooling, electrical connections to a voltage source willbe established via the cooling lines 7. Reference numeral 11 symbolizesa control circuit with an associated user display and controller.

The cooling bath in which the beverage contained in a beverage containeris brought to drinking temperature is delimited from the surroundingenvironment by a jacket wall 5 and a thermally insulating jacket 3surrounding the jacket wall 5. The jacket wall 5 may be made of metal,plastic or any other suitable material. The thermally insulating jacket3 can be formed by foamed polystyrene or by vacuum insulation. Othermaterials would, of course, also be suitable for insulation. The jacketwall 5 plus associated jacket 3 may, moreover, comprise a widenedportion provided in the central region of the cooling device so as toenable the cooling liquid 4 to evade into the widened portion in orderto prevent a spillover of the cooling liquid 4 when introducing abeverage container into the cooling device. In order to also ensure thecooling of smaller beverage containers such as cans, the deviceaccording to the invention further provides differently large adaptersto guarantee uniform liquid displacement and cooling.

The cooling bath and the cooling device are, in particular,geometrically adapted in such a manner as to require only very littlecooling bath liquid to surround the beverage container by as muchcooling liquid 4 as possible. The introduction of a bottle causes thedisplacement of the cooling liquid and the maximization of the effectivecold transfer surface between cooling coil (cooling bath wall)—coolingbath—beverage surface.

Between the cooling elements 1 may be arranged heating elements 2 thatare respectively operated by the control lines 8 and the control circuit11. The heating elements 2, after a cooling procedure, allow for therapid heating of the cooling bath temperature to the desired drinkingtemperature of the beverage in order to prevent further cooling orfreezing of the beverage. The device according to the invention can thusalso be used for the long-term temperature control of beverages. Theconfiguration according to the invention will thus avoid the burstingof, e.g. glass bottles, because of their freezing contents. Instead ofthe heating elements 2, a mechanism for “ejecting” the beverage bottleswould also be conceivable.

In order to increase the heat transfer between the cooling liquid 4 andthe vessel wall of the beverage to be cooled, the cooling liquid 4 canbe set in motion by a rotor 13 or any other means. The thus resultingturbulent flow will additionally enhance the heat transfer. Thetemperature sensor 6 enables the constant control of the temperature ofthe cooling liquid 4 and the associated control of the cooling cycle andthe heating elements 2 via a control circuit 11. The temperature sensor6 is connected to the control circuit via a line 12. An additionalsensory element 9 such as a filling level meter or a temperaturemeasuring means would be conceivable.

An array of passage seals 14 prevents the evaporation of cooling liquid4, the contamination of the cooling liquid 4, and the accidental injuryto persons through contact with the cooling liquid 4 present in thecooling bath, and possible hypothermia resulting therefrom. In addition,stripping-off of the cooling liquid 4 from the beverage container hasthus become possible. The passage seals also provide protection fromodor.

1-33. (canceled)
 34. A cooling device for beverages in beveragecontainers, including a chamber for receiving a beverage container, atleast one cooling element, said cooling element (1) being incorporatedin a coolant cycle of a Joule-Thomson or mixed Joule-Thomson cooler,whereby the chamber is constructed as a basin for a cooling bath,wherein the filling level of a cooling liquid (4) rises at least 1.5times, when introducing a circular-cylindrical test body having adiameter of 49.9 mm or 79.9 mm or 109.9 mm or 139.9 mm or 169.9 mm or199.9 mm into the cooling bath of any desired volume.
 35. A coolingdevice according to claim 34, wherein the at least one cooling element(1) is arranged within the chamber.
 36. A cooling device according toclaim 34, wherein the at least one cooling element (1) is disposed on awall (5) of the chamber.
 37. A cooling device according to claim 34,wherein the cooling element (1) is comprised of a cooling coil.
 38. Acooling device according to claim 34, wherein means for circulating thecooling liquid are provided.
 39. A cooling device according to claim 38,wherein the means for circulating the cooling bath comprise a rotor (13)arranged in the chamber, a circulation pump or a membrane (e.g.ultrasonic membrane).
 40. A cooling device according to claim 34,wherein a wall (5) of the chamber is surrounded by a thermal insulation(3).
 41. A cooling device according to claim 40, wherein said insulation(3) is comprised of a vacuum insulation.
 42. A cooling device accordingto claim 34, wherein a heating element (2) for heating the cooling bathis provided.
 43. A cooling device according to claim 42, wherein theheating element (2) is arranged in the chamber and configured as anelectric resistance heater.
 44. A cooling device according to claim 42,wherein the heating element (2) is designed as a heating coil disposedon the wall (5) of the chamber.
 45. A cooling device according to claim34, wherein an opening provided for introducing the beverage containerinto the chamber comprises one or several passage seals (14).
 46. Acooling device according to claim 34, wherein a temperature sensor (6)is provided for detecting a bath temperature, said temperature sensorbeing connected to a control circuit (11).
 47. A cooling deviceaccording to claim 46, wherein the control circuit (11) is connected tothe cooling element (1), and if desired to the heating element (2), viacontrol lines (8) in order to control cooling and/or heating capacitiesas a function of the measurements of the temperature sensor (6).
 48. Acooling device according to claim 34, wherein the cooling liquid (4) ofthe cooling bath is comprised of alcohol or an alcohol-water mixture.49. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the chamber has aportion widened in terms of cross section.
 50. cooling device accordingto claim 49, wherein the widened portion is formed as an edge portionbordering the opening of the chamber and having an inner surfaceconically widening as far as to the opening of the chamber.
 51. Acooling device according to claim 34 for beverage cans, wherein theannular gap resulting from the introduction of a can is outwardlydelimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 145 mm. 52.A cooling device according to claim 34 for beverage bottles, wherein theannular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardlydelimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 220 mm. 53.A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the chamber iscylindrical.
 54. A cooling device according to claim 48, wherein thecooling liquid is comprised of ethanol.
 55. A cooling device accordingto claim 51, wherein the annular gap resulting from the introduction ofa can is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of50 mm to 105 mm.
 56. A cooling device according to claim 52, wherein theannular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardlydelimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 140 mm. 57.A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the filling level of thecooling liquid (4) rises at least 3 times.
 58. A cooling deviceaccording to claim 34, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid(4) rises at least 4 times.
 59. A method for cooling beverages containedin beverage containers, comprising filling the chamber of the coolingdevice according to claim 1 with a cooling liquid, inserting beveragecontainers containing a beverage(s) to be cooled in said cooling device,and cooling said beverage(s) in beverage containers.
 60. A methodaccording to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber (optionallywith the cooling element), the volume of the cooling liquid (4) presentin the cooling bath, and the diameter and/or volume of the beveragecontainer are adapted to one another in such a manner that the fillinglevel of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least 1.5 times, whenintroducing the beverage container into the cooling bath.
 61. A methodaccording to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber (optionallywith the cooling element), the volume of the cooling liquid (4) presentin the cooling bath, and the diameter and/or volume of the beveragecontainer are adapted to one another in such a manner that an annulargap of 3 cm at most, remains between the wall (5) of the beveragecontainer and the wall of the chamber, or the cooling element.
 62. Amethod according to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber, thevolume of the cooling liquid (4) present in the cooling bath, and thediameter of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such amanner that the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at leastas far as to the upper edge of the cooling element (1) when introducingthe beverage container into the cooling bath.
 63. A method according toclaim 62, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises 3times.
 64. A method according to claim 60, wherein the filling level ofthe cooling liquid (4) rises at least 4 times.
 65. A method according toclaim 61, wherein the diameter and/or volume of the beverage containerare adapted to one another in such a manner that an annular gap of 2 cmat most, remains between the wall (5) of the beverage container and thewall of the chamber, or the cooling element.
 66. A method according toclaim 61, wherein the cooling element is disposed on the chamber wall(5).